Other books
followed in close succession until when he died he had written
forty-two volumes. But people were not satisfied with reading his
books merely, they wanted to see and hear him. He, therefore, began in
a modest way to read his poems before audiences in his native state.
So delighted were these audiences, for he was a charming reader as
well as a capable writer, that urgent calls came from every state in
the Union to come and read for them. For a number of years he traveled
widely and appeared before thousands of audiences, but this kind of
life never appealed to him.

Though he never married, Mr. Riley was always fond of the quiet of a
modest home. Accordingly, the closing years of his life were spent in
semi-retirement in his cozy home on Lockerbie Street, Indianapolis.

HELEN KELLER

A little girl was traveling with her father and mother. They were
going from a little town in Alabama to the city of Baltimore. The
journey was long and, as the little girl was only six years old, she
wanted toys and playthings with which to pass the time.

The kind conductor let her have his punch when he was not using it.
She found that it was great fun to punch dozens of little holes in a
piece of cardboard and she would touch each hole with one of her
little fingers, but she did not count them because she had not learned
how.

By and by a pleasant lady thought she would make a rag doll for the
little traveler. She rolled two towels up in such a way that they
looked very much like a doll, and the little girl eagerly took the new
plaything in her arms. She rocked it and loved it; but something
troubled her, for she kept feeling the doll's face and holding it out
to the friends who sat near her. They did not understand what was the
matter.

Suddenly she jumped down and ran over to where her mother's cape had
been placed. This cape was trimmed with large beads. The little girl
pulled off two beads and turning to her mother pointed once more to
the doll's face. Then her mother understood that her daughter wanted
the doll to have eyes; so she sewed the beads firmly to the towel and
the little girl was happy.

[Illustration: HELEN KELLER
"Hearing" Caruso Sing]

Are you wondering why the little girl did not talk and tell what she
wanted? She could not. Just think, she was six years old and could not
speak a word! All she could do was to make a few queer sounds.
Perhaps, too, you wonder why she was so anxious for